Ishihara, Komaki Talk About Making Mega Man Taller for Dual Override

Back when Mega Man: Dual Override was first revealed, one thing we quickly noticed was how much taller Mega Man looked compared to his appearance in Mega Man 11. Some of us figured it might be a deliberate nod, and maybe even something of a return, to his proportions in Mega Man 8. But was that actually the idea?

In a new interview with TheGamer, Dual Override art directors Yuji Ishihara and Shinsuke Komaki talked a little about what went on behind the scenes and the thinking that shaped Mega Man’s updated look.

TheGamer: Can you talk me through the game's art direction? Was there ever a temptation to go back to the original 8-bit art style, or was this always the vision? Is this Mega Man's future?

Yuji Ishihara: From the get-go, we wanted to focus on a more modern art style. We never considered going back to the 8-bit style. We wanted much more detail in the illustrations. If you notice Mega Man's character design, you may see that he's a little taller than in past titles.

Shinsuke Komaki: Overall, it's kind of like a cell-shaded art direction, but the level backgrounds are very detailed, and that contrast between the character and the background makes everything more visible and visually appealing. We really felt that, for a modern-era Mega Man, it was important to go with this evolved style for Mega Man and the overall game.

TheGamer: Mega Man is taller? What was the design reason behind that?

Yuji Ishihara: The animation was a major reason. The bigger he is, the easier it is for you to see his animations and cool poses he takes. They become more defined, clearer, and more visually appealing, which is why we designed it that way.   

Be sure to check out the full interview with Ishihara and Komaki over at TheGamer for more insight into Dual Override’s art direction.